Death Deserved by Thomas Enger and Jorn Lier Horst, translated by Anne Bruce
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Created by two Scandinavian crime writers working in tandem for the first time, translated in Scotland and edited in London, ‘Death Deserved’ was always going to be an exciting cultural mash-up. However, the finished novel is so much more than that. The genre of Nordic Noir may raise expectations of body parts scattered randomly across bleak landscapes, but the intricate plot of ‘Death Deserved’ is set in locations that are varied and vividly described. Brilliant plotting and superbly controlled language make this book as mentally challenging as it is thrilling.
Oslo, 2018. Former long-distance runner Sonja Nordstrøm never shows at the launch of her controversial autobiography, Always Number One.
When you’ve experienced adulation in the sporting word, can success in other walks of life ever provide the same buzz? Will the launch of one’s literary debut, eagerly awaited by press and public, match the thrill of being first over the finishing line or scoring a crucial goal? These are two of the key questions posed in ‘Death Deserved’. The early chapters hint at despair resulting from anti-climax, which can turn achievement sour and lead to the destruction of the self and others.
When celebrity blogger Emma Ramm visits Nordstrøm’s home later that day, she finds the door unlocked and signs of a struggle inside. A bib with the number ‘one’ has been pinned to the TV.
At this point, the urge to compete and the power of media exposure are thrust into the reader’s perception. Events at a reality TV show, a daily newspaper and a book launch are key to the development of the plot, with a YouTube influencer also playing a part. Technology is one of the stars of ‘Death Deserved’, but the techno-wary need not fear this aspect of the book, because the explanations given are straightforward and accessible to all levels of knowledge. It would be impossible to tell this story without involving technology, because the locations and personalities involved in the crimes raise the possibility that the perpetrator ‘yearns for celebrity’.
Police officer Alexander Blix is appointed to head up the missing-persons investigation, but he still bears the emotional scars of a hostage situation nineteen years earlier, when he killed the father of a five-year-old girl.
We learn more about Blix as the case progresses. At first, he appears passive, only reacting to the demands of others. Crime novel afficionados will look without success for the hidden addiction, self-hatred and neglect of personal grooming expected from a fictional middle-aged detective. Blix arrives at work on time and prioritises his relationship with his adult daughter. Although the dirty plates from the canteen piled on his desk imply a weakness in housekeeping, at least they indicate that he eats regularly. In spite of his troubled professional history, his boss evidently trusts him, because he is chosen to look after the youthful new start, Sofia Kovic. At first, Blix comes across as being a regular police officer, the unexciting but reliable backbone of his team. However, as the story progresses, his courage, determination and capacity for thinking outside the box are revealed.
Traces of Nordstrøm soon show up at different locations, but the appearance of the clues appear to be carefully calculated … evidence of a bigger picture that he’s just not seeing…
The originality of the talents of Enger and Horst is shown in the way they weave together apparently insignificant details from their characters’ everyday lives, building up to a criminal maelstrom of terrifying proportions. A dedicated professional journalist, Ramm earns her living by blogging about so-called celebrities, but she is aware of the falsity of the values projected by the glittering world she describes. By following the painstaking steps Ramm takes to check out her sources, the reader realises the complexity of the crimes under investigation. Through her determination, a pattern that holds the solution to a sequence of dreadful murders is identified. Intriguingly, Ramm has an intimate secret that does not become significant until the novel’s climax.
Blix and Ramm soon join forces, determined to find and stop a merciless killer with a flair for the dramatic, and thirst for attention. Trouble is, he’s just got his first taste of it…
What Blix and Ramm have in common is a strong professional ethic, which can sometimes conflict with an equally powerful desire to do their jobs properly. Ramm sees Blix as a useful police contact who can further her career in journalism. At his first meeting with Ramm, ‘Blix met her gaze and noticed that it was full of life and dedication. Nothing more.’ When faced with the prospect of working with Ramm, Blix has his doubts, but gradually they settle into a mutually productive relationship. Later in the course of their collaboration, Ramm describes her impression of Blix as a colleague. ‘There was something about him she could not put into words. A kind of shyness about his manner. Something that whetted her curiosity.’ The reader will feel that same curiosity.
What did I love about this book?
‘Death Deserved’ has elements of a puzzle or a computer game. One devious criminal step leads to another, so readers with a gift for lateral thinking can try to beat Blix and Ramm to the solution. The rest of us will enjoy the ride, admiring the clever plot twists.
In addition to being something of an intellectual workout, ‘Death Deserved’ contains genuinely emotional scenes. The characters are so well drawn, experiencing convincing relationships with families, friends and colleagues, that the reader feels empathy with them.
What would I change?
There are several strong female characters in ‘Death Deserved’, but there are also a few scenes that made the retro feminist in me tut a little. Which ones? You’ll have to read the book for yourself and see what you think.
I recommend this book to lovers of Nordic Noir, quirky police procedurals and dark family dramas.
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